I am asking the same question the guy with the 3rd generation Tivo is asking basically. Except i am wanting to purchase the toshiba HD-DVD player. If I have an HDMI hookup on my Plasma but not on my receiver can I just run the HDMI for my TV and the optical out for my audio on my receiver?? It definitely would suck if I had to buy a new receiver after having the hk 7300 for only 1 year. Thanks everyone for input.

I don't know specifically about the HD-DVD player, but with my Pannasonic S97, I run a HDMI directly to my projector, which obviously bypasses the receiver, and the digitial out for audio right to my receiver. Works great. I would think that Toshiba would follow that same model that allows for you to send the audio data via either type of cable. It would really limit their ability to sell units if it required people to buy new receivers to do HDMI switching as well.

Thanks Nicky (sorry if you don't go by nicky but my brother and 2 year old son are both Nicky's). It makes sense to me the way you put it. Certainly would affect their sales if you couldn't seperate. Appreciate the input. Even you joe.

From what I understand the only audio paths that can support the bandwidth needed for Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master/High Resolution Audio is HDMI ver 1.3 or the multichannel analog. The Toslink Optical or Coax are not up to task, but will work for the lower bitrate Dolby and DTS mixes (but still better than what we have with standard DVD) that are included on HD-DVD for compatibility. There are limited HD-DVD titles with Dolby TrueHD tracks, such as Phantom of the Opera.

I believe the same is true for Blu-ray's multichannel PCM audio- only HDMI or direct analog inputs on a receiver can handle it.

As long as your receiver as free multichannel analog inputs you can run the HDMI direct to the display and bypass the receiver, and still get the new audio formats.